222 
SOMALILAND 
off the top of the ant-hill with stones, and then abstract 
the honey. No sooner said than done. We stormed the 
stronghold with stones, a breach was made in the fortress, 
when out issued thousands upon thousands of the enemy. 
My men fell backwards into the bushes, and were covered 
with the enemy’s poisoned arrows. Those who had not 
fallen rushed pell-mell through the bushes, swinging their 
arms about in every direction, and tearing bits off their 
tobes as they dashed panic-stricken through the thorns. 
I stood still and shrieked with laughter, but directly I 
moved away I was followed by the enemy, who wounded 
me in the head in several places. At last I gathered 
together my scattered forces. Oh, how I laughed at the 
swollen faces of the men, although I could hardly see out of 
one eye myself! When I caught sight of my head-shikari’s 
swollen pouting under lip, I laughed as I had never laughed 
before in this most distressful country. Nearly all were 
stung about the head, and the groans and ‘ Allahs 1’ that 
were emitted on every side betokened our utter defeat. 
We next set to work to collect wood, and soon had an 
enormous fire burning close to the stronghold. When the 
heat became great, I attached a rope to the tall ant-hill, 
and pulled a portion of it down ; then, as the enemy 
became suffocated with the smoke, we attacked the walls 
with axes, and at last took the stronghold and its spoil. 
We filled two buckets full of honeycomb, the ant-hill being 
full from top to bottom. Soon after this battle we pitched 
for the night. I laughed afresh at the sorry -looking objects 
of men as I doled out ammonia and applied it to their 
poisoned wounds. 
Next morning, as soon as it was light enough to see, we 
marched back to Sinnadogho, arriving there about 10 a.m. 
'The whole caravan packed up at 2 p.m. en route for Joh. 
Two hours south of Sinnadogho we passed a small shallow^ 
lake, called Leberdooli, after which we went up and down 
over hilly and stony ground, the worst possible going for 
camels, horses, and men. 
